Dashboard lamp



March 17, 1925. 1,530,345

B. A. BENSON I DASHBOARD LAMP Filed Nov. 2, 1922 29 ,lhvezijrv PatentedMar. 17; 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

BERNHART A. BENSON, OF

CHICAGO. ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO BDMIINDS d6 JONES CORPORATION, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DASHBOARD LAMP.

Application filed November 2. 1922.

and useful Improvements in aDasl'ihoard' i .am p: and I do herebydeclare the 'following to he a full clear. and exact description of theinvention, others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makaanduse the same.

My invention relates to sockets l'or electric lamps and in someof itsgeneral aspects aims to provide a simple, inexpensive, conipact andeasily manipulated socket in which the current can he switched on()l'-"()il by the partial rotation of a portion of the socket; in whichthe needed rotational movement can readily be ell'eeted at the forwardaid of the socket;

contact-making terminals is stationary; and

in which the switching is eli'ected by mov-- in;- the: lamp-holding:portion of the socket toward or away from the said stationary terminal.

irl o're particularly, my invention aims to provide a lamp-socket havinga stationary outer shell and a stationary terminal-carry'ing body membermounted within this shell, and, having an inner shell extending betweenthe outer shell and the said body member. the innershell being equippedfor interlocking with the base ol a lamp. It also aims to provideconveniently arranged means for impz'irtinn' arotational movement to theinnerfshell, and desirably aims to provide such means in the form of ahandle extending radially ot' the socket and projectingthrough the mouthof-the hood or cowl if one is used in connection with the socket.

l urthermore, my invention aims to provide cooperating cani meansassociated with the inner and outer shells for causing a relativerotational movement thereof to pro- (hire a corresponding relativelongitudinal morement thereof, and desirably aims to (:mplOy as aportion of the cam means the l t-zningr member which connects the outershell to the terminal-carrying body memsuch as will enable.

in which one of the Serial No. 598,499.

oer so as to support the said body member in a stationary position. Italso aims to provide spring means operatively interposed between thesaid body men'iber and the innor shell for continuously tending to movethe inner shell longitudinally in one direc tion with respect to theouter shell; aims to provide simple means (desirably in the form of astifiening collar secured to the mouth of the inner shell and alsoarranged forsupporting the operating handle) for limiting the saidrelative movement of the two shells by the spring; and aims to providethe cam means w1th a suitable latching formation for locking the twoshells in a predetcrnrined position after they have been relativelymoved against the resistance of the spring. Moreover, my invention aimsto provide a socket of the class described in which the contact memberearriedby the body member also afi'ords a Wire terminal, in whichthewire can readily be connected to this teri'ninal While the bodymember is drawn entirely out 01f thesocket, in which.the detaching of asingle camoperating element in the form of a screw will permit both thebody member and the spring-to be withdrawn from thesocket shells, andin' which the said single screw serves as the sole means for securingthe body member and the two shells in their normal operative relation.Still turther and also more detailed objects will appear from thefollowing specification and from the acconmanying drawings, in which-Fig. l is a perspective view of a dash board socket embodying myinvention and having a hood fastened to the outer shell. for downwardlydeflecting and distribnting the light ot the lamp and For shielding thedriver oi. the autoi'nobile iron! the direct rays of light oi the lamp.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central and longitudinal section through the sameembodiment, showing the socket in ,its on or if circuit'closingposition.

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken after the handle or lever has beenmoved to partially rotate the inner shell and to cause the cam means tomove the inner shell forp the inner shell.

' vention, namely one in which the latter, showing these as they appearwhenthe handle and the fastening screw have been removed and when thespring has expanded to slide the body member out of Fig. 5 is afragmentary central and longitudinal section, showing the forwardportion of another socket embodying my inouter shell is equipped with acollar having aforwardly directed cylindrical portion for holding a hoodof the cowl type.

. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the lamp socket of myinvention includes an outer shell equipped at its for- Ward end with an'outwardly directed flange 2 and having its rear end portion threaded forreceiving a clamping nut 3 by means of which the flange 2 can be clampedagainst the face of a dashboard 4, this dashboard having a borethroughwhich the said outer shell extends. Extending into this outer shell andprojecting somewhat beyond the forward end thereof is an inner shell 5which has its forward end equipped with opposed bayonet slots 6 forinterlocking with the usual lateral pins7 on the base of an incandescentlamp 8, the lamp being here shown as of the socalled single ,terminal 9,the rivet 14 pole type in which one terminal of the filament is groundedto the metal shell of the lamp. base whilethe other terminal of thefilament; is grounded to an axial contact 9 disposed on the rear end ofthe.lamp base.

The inner shell 5 desirabl has its'rear end contracted to form apertorated bottom 10 which takes the thrust of a compression spring 11interposed between this bottom of the shell and the body member of thesocket. This body member is here shown as including an insulating disk12 pressed tightly into a metal sleeve 18 which fits slidably into thebore of the inner shell 5, and a combination wire-terminal andlamp-contactingmember, the latter member desirably consisting of ahollow rivet 14 extending through the insulating disk 'l2and presentinga head on the forward face of its insulator for contacting with theaxial lamp being bored out from its rear end as shown in Figs. 2 and 3so that the tip of a wire 15 can be sol-' dered into the same.

' 1 Intermediate of its length, the outer shell I. has a transverse boreat one side for rcceiving the head of a screw 16 which extends through acam slot 17 in themner shell and which is threaded into the body memberof the socket, for which latter purpose the screw 16 is desirablythreaded at its inner end into the said metal sleeve 13 as shown inFigs. 2, 3 and 6. The slot 17 through which the screw 16 extends isdisposed substantially spirally of the inner socket shell and desirablyhas a recess formation 18 adjacent to its rear end, this recessformation being joined to the main portion of the slot at a ridge 18over which the fastening screw 16 can ridewhen the parts are relativelyrotated to a sufficient extentlin one direction.- To effect suchrotation, I provide means associated with the forward end of the innershell and for this purpose desirably provide a collar 19 mounted on theforward end of the inner shell and secured against rotation with respectto the inner shell by indentationssuch as the indentation 280i Fig. 1.Then I desirably also employ this collar 17 for affording the additionallen th of thread which is desirable for connecting the inner shell tothe threaded stem ota handle 29 by means of which the above describedrotational movement can be effected.

ln' assembling the socket as above .de-

scribed, ,the spring 11 is slid into the inner shell 5, and the wire 15is secured to the combined wire terminal and contact member 14 whileextending through the bore of the spring and through the perforation inthe bottom 10 of the inner shell. Next, the. inner shell is inserted in.the outer shell land the body member of which the wire terminal too 14forms a portion is forced back into the 1 inner shell against thepressure of the spring until the threaded bore'22 in the collar 13 ofthe body member alincs both with and with the lateral bore in the outershell which bore normally houses the head of the screw 16, the aliningof the latter being sc-' 17. which t'oro'iird end appears as the llPIM vend liortion in the View ol F ji. 4. This brlngs'the bayonet catchi'rirmation (i on the a por-' lion oi the cam slot 17' of the innershell:

inner shell into sin-h a position Witllicspectl to the body member thatthe wire terminal 11 on the latter will be engaged bythe axial tip 9 ot'astandard lain w-hcn'such a lamp is interlocked with the liayonctslotsou the forward portion or the" inner shell in the usual manner asil ustrated in Fig. 2. Fron' then rotating the inner shell by room. ingthe handle 19 in, a direction .in which 1 it would move toward theobserver in Fig.

2, the cugagemeru oi the upper wall of the cam slot l7 with the shank ofthe screw 16 will cause the inner shell to move forwardly oi the outershell during such rotational movement. As soon as this movement hasextended to the point where the shank of the screw to passes over theridge 18, the shank of thcscrew 16 will snap into the reccss at the rearend of the cam slot. whereupon the iidge 18 will act as a shoulder forlocking the inner shell against rearward sliding with respect to thescrew v16 and the outer shell. moved to this position as shown in Fig.3, the lamp is moved so far forward that its axial terminal 9 isentirely out of contact with the wire terminal let, thus switching thecurrent '03 the lamp. However, by making the ridge l8 quite obtuse, Iprovide merely a yielding latch, so that a slight pressure on the handle29 tending to move the latter in a direction reverse to that abovementioned will snap the ridge 18 of the cam slot over the shank of thescrew 16, thereby permitting the spring 11 to move the inner shell ofthe socket rearwardly until the axial terminal of the lamp engages thewire terminal on the body member of the socket. The socket can thereforereadily be switched on or ofi by merely moving the handle 29 in onedirection or the other, and the single spring serves for holding theparts either in the circuit-closing or circuitbpening position, whilealso serving to hold the contacting elements 9 and 1a in firm contactingrelation when the socket is in its on p0 sition.

If the socket of my invention is to be used as a dashboard lamp, Idesirably slip the outer shell-1 through a corresponding bore in theback 23 of a reflectorQO, which re-,

fiector is shown in Figs. 1 to 3 as being of a scoop shape so as todeflect the light in a wide spread downwardly while permitting thehandle 29 to be reached with ease from below the reflector. However, Ido not wish to be limited to the use of any particular shape ofreflector in' connection with my lamp socket, nor to the employment ofthe same on the'dashboard, nor to the various detailsof the constructionand arrangement above disclosed. Obviously, many modifications might bemade without departing either from the spirit of my invention or fromthe appended claims. For example, I can. stop the rearward sliding ofthe inner shell either by the engagementof the forward end of the camslot with the shank of the fastening screw, or by having the rear edgeof the collar 17 engage the fa e of the flange 2 on the outer shell. 7

Neither do I wish to be limited to the use of any particular form ofreflector-holding portion on my socket. For example, Fig

\Vhen the inner shell has been socket embodying my invention, namely onehaving the collar 2 on the outer shell provided with a forwardlydirected collar 24 upon which the rear end of a cowl 21 can readily besleeved. in this embodiment, the cOWl has a more restricted downwardopening 2? and the collar 24: has a corresponding opening through whichthe operating handle 19 projects. In either case, it W111 be obviousthat by having the inner socket shell project forwardly of the outershell, I. can readily provide actuating means (here shown in the form ofa lever or handle 29) in front oi this outer shell. By so doing, I avoidthe necessity of having the outer shell project far beyond thedashboard, as has been true of sockets employing a switch ing disk orthe like disposed behind the lamp. Moreover, since the collar 17 at theforward end of the inner shell can readily be reached, this might bemanually rotated I even without the use ,of a handle for effecting theswitching, hence I do not wish to be limited to the use of such a handleor inner shell being equipped at one end with means for holding a lampand extending at liLS SaKl end beyond the outer shell, a contact elementmounted Within the inner shell and stationary with respect to the outershell, and cooperating means associated reing relative rotationalmovement of the two shells to afiord a relative longitudinal movementthereof.

2. A. lamp socket comprising an outer shell, an inner shell extendinginto the outer shell, the inner shell being slidable and rotatable withrespect to the outer shell, the inner shell being equipped at one endwith means forholding a lamp and extending at its said end beyond theouter shell, a corn tact element'mounted withinthe inner shell andstationary with respect to the outer shell, and cooperating meansassociated respectively with the said two shells for causing a relativerotational movement of the two shells to afford a relative longitudinalmovement thereof, the said cooperating means comprising a. cam slot onthe inner shell and an'elen'ient cxteiuling tiirough the cam slot andfast with respect to the outer shell.

3.1K lamp socket.- comprising an outer shell, an inner shell extcndinginto the outer spectlvely with the said two shells for caus means forholding a lamp and extending'at 13Vv element, and a connecting elementfast with respect to both the insulating body and the outersl'iell and;extending through the said slot, the slot and the connecting elementcooperating upon relative rotary movement of the twoshells to effectrelative longitudinal movementthereoi.

4. A lamp socket comprising an outer shell, a circuit tern'iinal rigidlymounted therein, an inner shell extending into the outer shell; theinner shell having means at one and for holding a lamp, and having meansat one end whereby the inner shell may be moved to bring the lamp intoor out of. contacting relation to the circuit terminal; and meanscontinuously High)? such movement in one direction. T). A lamp socketcon'iprisiug an outer shell, a circuit terminal rigidly mounted therein,an inner shellextending into the outer shell; the inner shell havingmeans at one end for holding a lamp, and having n'ieans at one endwhereby the inner shell may be moved to bring the lamp into or out ofcontacting relationto the circuit terminal; means continuously urgingsuch movement in one direction, and means .il or latching the innershell against such n'n'i'rcmcnt.

(l. A. lamp socket comprising an outer shell, a circuit terminal rigidlymounted therein, an inner shell extending into the outer shell, theinner shell having means at one end for holding a lamp and having meansat one end whereby, the inner shell may be moved-to bring the lamp'intoor out of. contacting relation to the circuit terminal, spring meanscontinuously tending to move the inner shell to bring the lamp out ofits said contacting relation, and means for latching the inner shellagainst such movement When the lamp is contacting with the circuitterminal.

7. A lamp socket as per claim 4, in which the means whereby the innershell may be moved include a collar mounted on one end of the innershell.

8. lamp socket as per claim 4, in which the means whereby. the innershell may be moved include a collar mounted on one end ol the innershell-and a handle carried by the collar. I i

9. A lampsocket as per claim 4, in which the means whereby the innershell my be moved include a handle fast-on the inner shell and disposedbeyond the adjacent end ol? the outer shell.

10. A lamp socket comprising an insulating body, wire-terminal andlamp-contacting means mounted thereon, a shell carrying the insulatingbody, a lamp-holding member extending between the shell and theinsulating body and movable with respect to both of the latter to bringa lamp held by the said member into or out of contact with the saidlamp-contacting means, and coopcrating means associated with the .lampholding member and one of the members between which the latter extendsfor causing a rotational movement of the lamp-holding member to move thelatter longitudinally with respect to the said shell so as to move thelamp into or out of contact with the said lamp-contacting means.

11. A lamp socket comprising an insulating body, wire-terminal and lamcontact ing means mounted thereon, a she] carrying the insulating body,a lamp-holding member extending between the shell and the insulatingbody and movable with respect to both of the latter to bring a lamp heldby the said member into or out of contact with the saidlai'np-contacting means, and yielding means for maintaining thelampholding member in either of two positions between which it is thusmovable and in only one of which it holds the lamp in contactingrelation to the said lamp-contacting means 12. A lampsocket as per claim10, in which the said cooperating means include a cam slot in thela1np-holdins member and an element extending through the slot and lastwith respect to the shell. r

13. A lamp socket comprising an insulat- Bill ing body, wire-terminalandlamp-contactholding a lamp, the'saidzinne'r shell having "a perforalpedrear end and having a cam slot in its sidrj an outer shell within whichthe inner shell is slidable, a' fastcningmember rigidly cd' nesting theinsulating body with the onterishell and'extending through the sameslot, the ca m slot. having its rear end formed for latching thefastening: member in a rearward position, and a-compression springinterposed between the insulating body and the "rear end of the innershell for continuousl .urging the inner shell rear- Wardly wit respectto the outer shell and thetastening member, and meanscn the inner shelldisposed forwardly to the outer shell whereby the inner shell may bemanually rotated 'to cause the cam slot to (ooperate with the fasteningmember for mov-- ingthe inner shell forwardly against the resistance ofthe spring. j

14. A lamp socket comprising an insulating body, wire-terminal. andlamp-contacting means mounted thereon, a-shell carrying the insulatingbody, a lamp-holding-member extending between the shelland theinsulating body and movable with respect to both of the latter betweentwo positions in which a lamp held by the lamp-holding member isrespectively in and out of contact with the said 1amp-contactin; nieans,yieldinL moans opei'atively interposed betwetin the insuinb ing body andthe lamp-holding means for -oiitinn0usiy urging a relative movementLilGIQOf in one direction, and cooperating means respectively fast onthe insulating tiens.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, October 28th,

BERNHART A. BENSON.

